Page 14 of Shattered Fears

CHAPTER SIX

They were the words he’d dreaded hearing, however, they gave him more comfort than he’d ever imagined they could. Isobel knew what he was; she knew he was a bear shifter.

“How?”

“Shortly after we slept together, you had a bad day and went running to release the stress. I decided to go for a walk. I went down through the edge of the forest near my home and sat by the river. I saw you run up to the banks, but you didn’t see me. I was hidden and too far away. I remember you sniffing at the air and looking around everywhere. I wondered why at first, and then when you removed all your clothes, I thought you were going to swim.” She blushed. “I... couldn’t stop looking. Even when you started to change.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” He knew the day she was talking about. He’d felt something. It’s why he checked the air frequently before he’d shifted. He never imagined it could have been Isobel.

“I was confused, at first. I mean, my father spoke about shifters even back then and seeing the man I was in love behave like one left me shocked. I sat in silence and watched you. You jumped in the water and caught fish. I’d never been close to a wild animal before. I thought I’d be scared, but you were majestic, and I wasn’t at all.”

“You should be scared.” He was prowling closer to her again, like a wild animal stalking its prey.

“Why? You wouldn’t hurt me.”

“How do you know? I’m a bear.”

She shook her head.

“That’s one part of who you are. The main part is you, though, my Zain.”

He reeled back. She should be disgusted at what he could do. After all, it was ingrained into her by her father; he was a fierce animal waiting to rip her limbs from her body and eat them for his dinner. How could she be calm?

“I can’t ever be the Zain you want me to be. Now, do you understand why I left? Because I’m a shifter.”

“Because of my father’s beliefs,” she interrupted him.

“Does he know?”

Isobel reeled back from him. “Seriously?” she bit out. “You think I’d tell him? I love you, Zain. You may have shown that you can’t give a fuck about me, but I’d never want to see you hurt.” She turned her back to him and started to stomp back up the garden.

“I’m sorry,” he called out. Isobel turned back to him and, at a rapid pace, sped back toward him; her face darkened with anger.

“Five years. You broke my heart. I could have told the world what you were, but I didn’t because I love you.” She balled her tiny fist up and smacked him in the center of his chest. It didn’t hurt. “Why didn’t you trust me enough to tell me? Why did you choose to walk out on me instead?”

He sank back into himself. The pain he’d caused her was evident in her violent release from five years of pent-up frustration.

“I thought I was doing the right thing. I know how close you are to your father. I didn’t want you to have to make a choice, if it came to it.”

“So you took the decision out of my hands?”

“I lost my family. I didn’t want you to lose yours.”

The words came from nowhere, and the instant they left his mouth, he regretted them, even if they were the truth. She balled her fist up again and brought it to rest on his chest before relaxing her hand, so it splayed out.

“It was my decision to make; you shouldn’t have taken it away from me.”

“I thought it was the right thing to do.”

“I know you did.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Change for me.”

“What?” He stepped back in shock.

“I want to see you. The real you.”

“No.”

“Please,” she begged of him.

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